French chocolate. (Stars and Stripes file photo)
France“Escape Through Chocolate” is the suggestion of the Salon du Chocolat website, which is inviting chocolate lovers to go to the Porte de Versailles in Paris through Monday to the world’s largest chocolate festival.
More than 400 leading chocolatiers and culinary experts will offer tastings, demonstrations, workshops and displays.
Catch the latest in eco-friendly chocolate fashion at the daily 5 p.m. catwalks or adopt a cocoa tree in Peru. The festival is open 10 a.m. to 7 p.m. daily. Tickets cost 12.50 euros for adults, 6 euros for ages 3 to 12 and is free for those younger than 3.
Get more information at www.salon-du-chocolat.com; there is an English version.
England Through Saturday, York highlights its architecture and history with the magic of lighting and projection technology during the city’s annual Illuminating York festival. A special focus this year is the cathedral’s rose window on which artists have projected an audio-visual celebration of the Yorkshire rose.
Other installations are located throughout the town, including four in Dean’s Park. Fringe events include night walks, exhibitions and candlelit tours. The illuminations light the sky 7-10 p.m. daily. For a full program, go to www.illuminatingyork.org.
GermanyCatch the latest creative trends and stock up on supplies for your own crafts at the annual Kreativ Welt in Wiesbaden’s Rhein-Main Hallen. Running through the weekend, it’s one of the largest hobby trade fairs in Europe. More than 400 exhibitors in creative fields including jewelry and beads, dolls, ceramics, fabrics, patchwork, needlework, scrapbook and decorations will show off their crafts and sell supplies.
The show is open 10 a.m. to 6 p.m. through Saturday and 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. Sunday. Daily tickets cost 8.50 euros for adults and 4.50 euros for ages 6 and younger. A two-day ticket costs 12.50 euros. See www.kreativ-welt.de (in German).
NetherlandsGet a taste of 50 Dutch specialty beers Friday through the weekend at the PINT Bokbierfestival in Amsterdam, the largest beer festival in the country. The fest will be in the Beurs van Berlage exhibition hall 5-11 p.m. Friday, noon to 11 p.m. Saturday and noon to 7 p.m. Sunday. Admission is 10 euros; tastings cost two euros each. The website www.pint.nl
has an English-language version.
